Chinese Classical Literature

Sung Wan: Songs Composed in Prison II An Earthen K’ang(1) ~ 宋琬·《狱中八咏·煤土炕》 with English Translations

宋琬(1614-1673),清初著名诗人,清八大诗家之一,字玉叔,号荔裳,汉族,山东莱阳人。生于明万历四十二年(1614),清顺治四年(1647)进士,曾任户部河南司主事、吏部稽勋司主事、陇西右道佥事、左参政,康熙十一年(1672),授通议大夫四川按察使司按察使;翌年,进京述职,适逢吴三桂兵变,家属遇难,忧愤成疾,病死京都,时年59岁。 宋琬·《狱中八咏·煤土炕》 象箪翡翠床,较此自粗丑。 蝴蝶与庄生,君能分别否? Songs Composed in Prison II An Earthen K’ang(1) Sung Wan An ivory, bamboo, and kingfisher bed Compared to this is coarse and ugly! The butterfly and Master Chuang-chou,(2) Sir, can you tell them apart? (1). A raised and heated platform bed made of bricks which is common in north China. (2). […]

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Sung Wan: Songs Composed in Prison I A Piece of Rush Matting ~ 宋琬·《狱中八咏·芦席片》 with English Translations

宋琬(1614-1673),清初著名诗人,清八大诗家之一,字玉叔,号荔裳,汉族,山东莱阳人。生于明万历四十二年(1614),清顺治四年(1647)进士,曾任户部河南司主事、吏部稽勋司主事、陇西右道佥事、左参政,康熙十一年(1672),授通议大夫四川按察使司按察使;翌年,进京述职,适逢吴三桂兵变,家属遇难,忧愤成疾,病死京都,时年59岁。 宋琬·《狱中八咏·芦席片》 愁心不可卷,假寐聊相资。 莫厌籧篨贱,犹能出范雎。 Songs Composed in Prison I A Piece of Rush Matting Sung Wan A grieving heart can’t be rolled up like a mat; This mat is good enough for a brief nap. Don’t be disgusted because it is cheap, For it could still produce a Fan Sui.(1) (1). Fan Sui (fl. 3rrd

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Sung Wan: Radom Poem on the Lake ~ 宋琬·《湖上杂诗(其三)》 with English Translations

宋琬(1614-1673),清初著名诗人,清八大诗家之一,字玉叔,号荔裳,汉族,山东莱阳人。生于明万历四十二年(1614),清顺治四年(1647)进士,曾任户部河南司主事、吏部稽勋司主事、陇西右道佥事、左参政,康熙十一年(1672),授通议大夫四川按察使司按察使;翌年,进京述职,适逢吴三桂兵变,家属遇难,忧愤成疾,病死京都,时年59岁。 宋琬·《湖上杂诗(其三)》 山色南屏好,空濛半有无。 曲塘容舴艋,哀柳臣鹈鹕。 云起千峰乱,天晴一孤塔。 兴来思远眺,羌笛满西湖。 Radom Poem on the Lake Sung Wan Of mountain scenery, the Southern Screen is best:(1) Its atmosphere misty, half is hidden, half is there. A small skiff moors in the winding pond; Pelicans rest under withered willow trees. Clouds rise up and a thousand peaks are thrown together; The

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Sung Wan: A Song of a Fisherman ~ 宋琬·《渔家词》 with English Translations

这首诗写山东南阳湖附近的渔民的艰苦生活。古代诗词中写渔民生活,大多把渔夫写成隐逸者,作为诗人理想的化身。那种以渔樵为生,不涉宦场,远离是非的生活,为封建士大夫所向往。但也有一些描写渔民现实生活的作品,反映了他们的苦难和不幸。这类作品具有高度的现实主义精神和人民性。宋琬的这首《渔家词》就属这类中的突出篇章。 宋琬·《渔家词》 南阳之南峄山北,男子不耕女不织。 伐芦作屋沮洳间,天遣鱼虾为稼穑。 少妇能操舴艨舟,生儿酷似鸬鹚黑。 今秋无雨湖水涸,大鱼干死鲦鳅弱。 估客不来贱若泥,租吏到门势欲缚。 烹鱼酌酒幸无怒,泣向前村卖网罟。 A Song of a Fisherman Sung Wan South of Nan-yang, north of Yi Mountain, The man doesn’t till, the woman doesn’t weave. They cut rushes, built a hut in marsh lands; Heaven provided fish and shrimp for them to sow and reap. The young wife can steer

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Qian Fenglun: Composed to the Song “A Beautiful Woman Combs Her Hair” ~ 钱凤纶·《美人梳头歌》 with English Translations

钱凤纶(1644—1712),字云仪,清初浙江钱塘(今杭州)人。进士钱安侯女,诸生黄式序室。著有《古香楼集》四卷,含诗悇一卷。 钱凤纶·《美人梳头歌》 新林一声啼绿鸟,三十六宫春欲晓。 床上辘轳牵素绠,秋水溶溶镜光冷。 渐看红日卷珠帘,双弯却有眉纤纤。 玉凤斜飞亸金蝉,佩环摇摇曳湘烟。 下阶独自摘芳蕊,樱桃笑侬不结子。 Composed to the Song “A Beautiful Woman Combs Her Hair” Qian Fenglun From the new-leaved grove a green bird’s sudden call; Over palace women’s quarters spring dawn is about to break. By her bed a silken cord linked to the well-pulley; Autumn-clear water gushes, her mirror coldly gleams.

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Zhu Shuzhen: Tune: At the Golden Gate Mid-spring ~ 朱淑真·《谒金门·春半》 with English Translations

《谒金门·春半》是南宋诗人朱淑真创作的一首写闺中春愁的小词。上片写仲春时节,眼前景色,触目生愁。虽“十二栏干倚遍”,也无法排遣春愁。下片写闺中人在这风和日暖的大好春光中,想起了自己所怀念的人,不禁愁绪万端,感到还不如成双成对的鸟儿,因此不愿再看见满院落花和断肠芳草。通篇哀婉细腻,愁思无限。 朱淑真·《谒金门·春半》 春已半, 触目此情无限。 十二阑干闲倚遍, 愁来天不管。 好是风和日暖, 输与莺莺燕燕。 满院落花帘不卷, 断肠芳草远。 Tune: At the Golden Gate Mid-spring Zhu Shuzhen Half spring has passed, The view awakes a sorrow vague and vast. Unoccupied, I lean on all twelve balustrades, But Heaven cares not if my sorrow fades. Although the sun is warm and the breeze fair, I

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Zhu Shuzhen: Die lian hua ~ 朱淑真·《蝶恋花·送春》 with English Translations

《蝶恋花·送春》是宋代词人朱淑真创作的一首词。这是一首惜春词,词的上片抒发对春天眷恋的感情,下片抒发伤春的感情,全词通过描写外缕垂杨、飞絮缱绻、杜鹃哀鸣、春雨潇潇,构成一副凄婉缠绵的画面,一个多愁善感、把酒送春的女主人公的形象活现在这幅画面中。词句清丽,意境深远。 朱淑真·《蝶恋花·送春》 楼外垂杨千万缕。 欲系青春,少住春还去。 犹自风前飘柳絮, 随春且看归何处? 绿满山川闻杜宇, 便做无情,莫也愁人苦。 把酒送春春不语, 黄昏却下潇潇雨。 Die lian hua Zhu Shuzhen Before the tower, thousands of strands of hanging willow. I’d like to tie down the green of spring. I could detain it a short while, but in the end it would vanish. Willow catkins float in the wind As though

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A Visit on a Snowy Night ~ 刘义庆·《世说新语·任诞·雪夜访戴》 with English Translations

《王子猷雪夜访戴》是南朝文学家刘义庆的作品,选自《世说新语·任诞》。这是一篇记述日常生活小事的小品文,通过写王子猷雪夜访戴逵兴尽而返的故事,体现了王子猷潇洒率真的个性,也反映了东晋士族知识分子任性放达的精神风貌。文章语言简练隽永,人物刻画形神毕现,气韵生动。 刘义庆·《世说新语·任诞·雪夜访戴》 王子猷居山阴,夜大雪,眠觉,开室命酌酒。四望皎然,因起彷徨,咏左思《招隐诗》。忽忆戴安道。时戴在剡,即便夜乘小船就之。经宿方至,造门不前而返。人问其故,王曰:”吾本乘兴而行,兴尽而返,何必见戴!” A Visit on a Snowy Night Wang Ziyou (?-ca. 386) lived in Shan Yin. One night while it was snowing heavily, he got up from his bed, opened the door, and told his servant to bring some wine. Looking outside, he found that everything within sight was covered by a shimmering layer

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Zhu Shuzhen: Charming Eyes ~ 朱淑真·《眼儿媚》 with English Translations

《眼儿媚·迟迟春日弄轻柔》是南宋女词人朱淑真所作。词上片写风和日丽,百花飘香,而转眼清明已过,落花飞絮,云锁朱楼,令人不堪回首。下片写午梦初醒,绿窗闻莺,声声唤起春愁。结尾三句,构思新巧,含蕴无限。词通过春景的描写,宛转地抒发了惜春情绪。全词语浅意深,辞淡情浓,清新和婉,别具一格。 朱淑真·《眼儿媚》 迟迟春日弄轻柔, 花径暗香流。 清明过了, 不堪回首, 云锁朱楼。 午窗睡起莺声巧, 何处唤春愁? 绿杨影里, 海棠亭畔, 红杏梢头。 Charming Eyes Zhu Shuzhen A faint fragrance drifts along the flower-fring’d path in th’ air; The sun shining, th’ breeze caresses th’ willows with care. After Pure Brightness I can’t bear, However, to recall the days of th’ past, When with dark clouds

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Zhu Shuzhen: Jiang cheng zi: Admiring Spring ~ 朱淑真·《江城子·赏春》 with English Translations

《江城子·赏春》是南宋女诗人朱淑真所作的一首词。这首词从春景凄寒起笔,转入“忆前欢”时却反接以闺中的寂寞和送别的感伤;过片以后折入梦境的回顾和思索,最后回到现实,以痛绝之语作结,由此显出沉郁顿挫的风致。 朱淑真·《江城子·赏春》 斜风细雨作春寒。 对尊前,忆前欢, 曾把梨花,寂寞泪阑干。 芳草断烟南浦路, 和别泪,看青山。 昨宵结得梦夤缘。 水云间,悄无言, 争奈醒来,愁恨又依然。 展转衾裯空懊恼, 天易见,见伊难。 Jiang cheng zi: Admiring Spring Zhu Shuzhen Driving wind and fine rain make for a chill spring. A wine cup before me, I remember our past love. Once, clutching pear flowers in hand, I shed streams of tears in the gloomy stillness. Fragrant

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